Anti-CM camp luring unhappy MLAs: BSY men

Bengaluru, 27 Jan 2021 [Fik/News Sources]: When Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa seemed to be bumbling with the Cabinet reshuffle and changed portfolios four times in five days, there was a quiet celebration in a section of the BJP.  This is the group that is opposed to Yediyurappa since he took over as chief minister and its members were happy with the public display of the strongman’s ‘indecisive’ ways, sources in the Yediyurappa camp said. 

Now there is a concern among chief minister’s followers that this section will stoke anger further among disgruntled legislators, who are unhappy over not getting their due in the reshuffle. When Yediyurappa assumed office in July 2019, he had an able ally in Ramesh Jarkiholi, who had led a group of 17 ‘rebels’ from the Congress and JDS to switch over to the BJP with the assurance that all of them would be rewarded with ministerial posts.

Now that all of them have not been accommodated, there is intense pressure on Yediyurappa, the sources said. All the rebels, except Prathap Gouda Patil, are legislators, and he is facing the election anytime soon.

A Yediyurappa follower said, “The camp opposed to us has been reaching out to the rebels who did not get berths. We are keeping a close watch on these ‘unhappy’ leaders to ensure that they would not destabilise the government.”